Gas-igniter.



M. M. TRUAX.

GAS IGNITER,

APPLICATION FILED APR. 28, 1915.

115,91 1, Patented 00126, 1915.

@TATEd. PATENT FFTE I GAS-IGNITER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Get. 26, 1215.

Application filed April 28, 1915. Serial No. 24,564.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARSHALL M. TRUAX, a citizen of the United States, residing at Jerome, in the county of Somerset and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gas- Igniters, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My present invention relates to new and useful improvements in igniters and as its principal object aims to provide a device of this character which is particularly adapted for use in connection with locked safety lamps of the type employed by miners in gaseous mines.

A further object of the invention is to provide an igniter which is relatively simple in construction and may, therefore, be cheaply manufactured, and one which may be readily applied to or removed from the lamp without requiring any changes or alterations in the construction thereof, it being only necessary to engage the holding spring of the igniter with the body casing of the lamp.

Another object of the invention is to provide an igniter of the character specified which consists broadly in a body plate, a pyrophoric element which is movable therethrough, an abrasive disk which is journaled in the body member, and is accompanied by an operating rod, and a yieldable means.

which normally maintains the pyrophoric element in engagement with the disk and is accompanied by an adjusting screw by means of which the tension of the spring may be varied.

The above, and other incidental objects of a similar nature, which will be hereinafter more specifically treated, are accomplished by such means as are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, described in the following specification, and then more particularly pointed out in the claims which are appended hereto and form part of this application.

With reference to the drawings, wherein there has been illustrated the preferred embodiment of this invention, as it is reduced to practice, and throughout the several views of which similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts, Figure 1 is a perspective view; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section taken in a plane parallel to the face of the body plate; and Fig. 3 is a section on the line 33, of Fig. 2.

As best disclosed as an operative entirety 1n Fig. 1, the igniterincludes broadly a sub stantially rectangular body plate 10, an abrasive disk 11, a pyrophoric rod or disk 12, an operating rod 13 for the abrasive disk, and a spring clip 14, by means of which the body plate may be detachably secured to a miners lamp.

The body plate 10 is preferably formed from sheet metal and is relatively thick, so that the longitudinal bore indicated in Fig.

2 at 15, may be provided to receive the abrasive disk rod 18. Adjacent to one terminal of the plate, there is formed a transversely extending slot 16, into the side of which the longitudinal bore 15 leads. On the end of the body plate, opposite to the slot 16, is formed an integral sleeve or tube 17 which forms a continuation of the bore 15 and serves as a bearingfor the operating rod. This rod is of a length greater than the combined length of the body plate 10 and the sleeve, so that both its terminals extend beyond the limits of the plate and sleeve 17. The rear end of the rod is threaded, as shown in Fig. 2 and is provided with a transverse pin 18, the terminals of which are adapted to seat in the diametrically opposed notches 19 formed in a milled disk 20, which member is removably mounted upon the rod and serves as a finger-grip for the operator. A nut, indicated at 21 is threaded upon the rod for preventing the displacement of the milled disk and for holding this member in engagement with the adjacent terminal of the slot. The forward terminal of the rod is chamfered, producing a non-circular (preferably square) head 22, upon which is keyed the abrasive disk 11. As will be noted upon reference to Fig. 1, this disk is mounted for rotation in the slot 16 and is disposed to con tact with the pyrophoric element indicated at 12. This member 12 may be formed in the nature of a disk or, if desired, of a rod. For the reception of the member 12, I provide a transverse bore 23, which leads into the end of the slot 16 and is threaded adjacent its outer terminal to receive an adj usting screw 23, by means of which the tension of the helical spring 25 may be varied. The spring 25 is interposed between the member 12 and the adjusting screw and, therefore, serves to yieldably maintain the member 12 in engagement with the abrasive disk.

From the foregoing description and upon reference particularly to Fig. 2 of the accompanying drawings, it will now be. appar- ,ent that upon rotation of the operating rod 13, the abrasive disk may be rotated to abrade the member 12, thereby producing an igniting spark.

As a means for adjustably securing the bodyplate 10 to a miners lamp, Iemploy a leaf spring, indicated at 26. This member 26 is for the major portion of its length, free with respect to the body but is terminally secured thereto by means of an L-shaped plate 27, the one leg of which is let into the end of the plate and secured thereto by a screw, indicated at 28. Rivets or equivalent fastening devices may be employed in securing the spring 26 to the member 27, as disclosed in Fig. 3. Y

i It will, of course, be understood that the pyrophoric element 12 may be formed from any of the well known compositions, such as serium and magnesium or iron and cerium, without departing in any way from the sprit of the invention.

In reduction to practice, it has been found that the form of this invention illustrated in the drawings, and referred to in the above description as the preferred embodiment, is

, the most efficient and practical; yet realizing that the conditions concurrent with the adoption of this device will necessarily vary, it is desirable to emphasize the fact that various minor changes in the details of con- .struction, proportion and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, when'required,

Without sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention, as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is 1. An igniter including a body plate provided with a transverse slot, a' longitudinal bore leading into the side of the slot and a transverse bore leading from one edge of the plate into the end'of the slot, a rod journaled in the longitudinal bore, a disk keyed upon the rod and disposed for rotation in the slot, a pyrophoric element mounted for move ment in the transverse bore, a helical spring bore, to bear at its inner end against the pyrophoric element, for yieldably maintaining the same in engagement with an abrasive element, and an adjusting screw threaded into the outer end of the transverse bore, said screw being operable for adjusting the tension of the spring.

2. An igniter including a body plate provided with a transverse slot, and a longitudinal bore leading from one end of the plate into the side of the slot, a sleeve eX- tending longitudinally from one end of the plate, and disposed to register with the bore, a rod journaled in the sleeve and bore, an abrasive disk keyed upon the rod and disposed for rotation in the slot, and a pyrophoric element engageable by the disk.

3. An igniter including a body plate, a rod rotatable therein, one end of the rod being threaded and provided with a transverse pin, a milled disk provided with a centrally disposed opening and diametrically opposed notches leading from the opening, said opening in the disk being adapted to receive the rod, said notches being adapted to receive the terminals of said pin, and a nut threaded upon the rod for holding the disk against disengagement with the pin, an abrasive disk keyed on the rod, and a pyrophoric element engageable by the disk.

4. An igniter including a body plate provided adjacent one terminal with a transversely extending slot, and a longitudinal bore opening into the side of said slot, a rod j ournaled in the bore and provided at one terminal with a non-circular head, said head passing across the slot and through the adjacent end of the plate, a screw threaded into the outer end of the non-circular head for holding the rod against withdrawal from the plate, an abrasive element keyed upon the non-circular head, and a pyrophoric element engageable by the disk.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

MARSHALL MANN TRUAX.

Witnesses:

NORMAN MAY, ERNEST B. TRUAX.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington. D. 0. 

